SOUTHWEST
Service Enhancement Plan
Final Report
December 2015
Dear Reader,
I am proud to present the Southwest Service Enhancement Plan, with
recommendations to get you and your fellow community members
where you need to go. This report provides a vision for future TriMet
service in the Southwest portion of the region (for other areas, see
www.trimet.org/future).
A note from
TriMet
GeneralManager,
Neil McFarlane
The vision for future service in the Southwest Service Enhancement
Plan is the culmination of many hours of meetings with our customers,
neighborhood groups, employers, social service providers, educational
institutions and stakeholders. Community members provided input
through open house meetings, surveys, focus groups, and individual
discussions. Extra effort was put into getting input from the entire
community, especially youth, seniors, minorities, people with low
incomes, and non-English speakers. Demographic research was used to
map common trips, and cities and counties provided input on future
growth areas. Lastly, TriMet staff coordinated closely with Metro’s Southwest Corridor Plan process to ensure that both efforts complement one
another and expand transit in the southwest part of our region.
The final result is a plan that calls for bus service that connects people
to more places, more often, earlier, and later. The plan also recommends
improvements to the sidewalks and street crossings to support transit
service and new community-job shuttles to serve areas that lack transit
service because the demand is too low for traditional TriMet service to
be economically viable.
The service enhancement plans are not just visions of the future, but
commitments to grow TriMet’s system. This commitment was recently
bolstered by employers’ support for an increase in TriMet’s payroll tax
rate. This new revenue will be used to implement recommendations
from the service enhancement plans. New improvements to the system
will begin in March 2016.
In the following months, TriMet will be revising visions for Eastside,
Southeast and North/Central Service Enhancement Plans based on
data analysis and discussions with input from riders, neighborhoods,
employers, social service providers, educational institutions, cities, and
counties. Those visions, together with the Southwest and Westside
Service Enhancement Plans, will represent a new era of growth for the
TriMet system. While you read through this plan, I hope you are as
excited about the future of transit in the Portland Metro Region as
we are.
Regards,
TriMet General Manager
Line 12, 43, & Orange Line MAX Rider
• the Tualatin Industrial area
• 72nd Avenue employment area and the Tigard
Triangle
• Kruse Way/Meadows Road
• the Hillsboro/Beaverton employment areas
Supporting Southwest Corridor: The Southwest
Corridor Project is a community development project
that will leverage public investments to make land use
and transportation improvements in the Southwest
part of the region. Led by Metro, our regional planning
agency, a primary focus of the project is the development of high capacity transit connecting Portland,
Tigard, and Tualatin. TriMet and Metro have closely
coordinated on the Southwest Corridor Project and
the Southwest Service Enhancement Plan. Together,
the projects aim to reduce congestion, improve
connections and serve those with limited
transportation options.
Over the past year and a half, TriMet has engaged the
communities of Durham, King City, Lake Oswego, SW
Portland, Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood, and West Linn in
a process to develop the Southwest Service Enhancement Plan (SWSEP), a long-range vision to improve bus
service and bus stops, and to recommend pedestrian
improvements.
Enabling Heath, Research, Education and Job
Training: Home to four hospitals (OHSU Hospital,
Dornbecher Children’s Hospital, Shriners Children’s
Hospital, and the VA Medical Center) Marquam Hill
is the largest transit destination in the SWSEP study
area. With limited parking for students and employees, transit plays a vital role in facilitating access to
and from Marquam Hill. OHSU’s expansion to South
Watefront includes the Center for Health and
Healing and the Collaborative Life Sciences Building,
with future developments still to come.
The SWSEP outlines a future vision for transit in the
Southwest part of the metro region (all areas in the
TriMet Service District south of Scholls Ferry Road to
the Willamette River and not including Downtown
Portland). The vision was developed with the help
of dozens of partner organizations (cities, counties,
business groups, social service providers, etc.), existing
transit riders, and the general public. The plan aligns
future improvements with current and projected
needs by recommending better transit connections,
improved frequency, safer pedestrian facilities, and
increased access to jobs and community services. The
plan also highlights opportunities to partner with
local cities, Washington County and the private sector
to make it easier for people to reach and use transit.
The plan identifies:
• near-term service enhancements that can be made
with little or no additional cost
• long-term service improvements and expansion
when revenues allow
• opportunities for partnering with public and private
sectors to improve access to transit including walking and biking to the bus and WES.
The Sylvania campus is the largest of Portland
Community College’s (PCC) four major campuses,
serving over 26,000 students per year. Students,
faculty and staff from throughout the metro area
attend PCC Sylvania. However, the campus sits atop
a hill, has constrained parking, and is surrounded by
single-family homes, creating conflicts with transit
operations by single-family homes, creating potential
conflicts with transit operations. Yet, TriMet bus
service to the campus is well used, as is the intercampus shuttle provided by PCC to its students.
The plan supports the Southwest communities in the
following ways:
Getting to Work: As employment grows throughout
the region, long gone is the day when Downtown
Portland was the only concentration of jobs. While
there will always be strong demand for fast, frequent
transit service to Downtown Portland, there is also
more need than ever for transit service within Southwest, particularly in employment areas with a large
number of entry level and middle wage jobs such as:
3
Lewis & Clark College has over 5,100 students, faculty, & staff. Though
most students live on campus, the college offers a free shuttle to Downtown Portland to supplement TriMet’s service to the campus. Parking at
the college is currently maxed out.
Communities of Tomorrow: Several areas on the edge of the region
are being planned for large-scale development. These areas will
accommodate future housing and employment. These areas include:
• Basalt Creek: Only in the concept planning phase, Basalt Creek will host
a mix of light industrial employment and residential development on
vacant land between Tualatin and Wilsonville. Work will begin soon
on an extension of SW 124th Avenue to Tonquin Road, which will be a
catalyst for future development in the area.
• River Terrace: Located west of Bull Mountain in Tigard, River Terrace will
predominately be composed of single family homes with a small
commercial corridor east of SW 175th Avenue.
• South Cooper Mountain: Technically outside SWSEP study area, South
Cooper Mountain will impact both Beaverton and Tigard significantly.
The plan calls for a mix of residential and commercial development
and a new Beaverton School District high school located at Scholls Ferry
Road and Roy Rogers/175th Avenue.
“With over 90% of our
employees commuting
in and out of Tualatin
every day, transit will
play a huge roll in
reducing congestion.
For the first time ever,
Tualatin Sherwood
road will have a new
bus line starting in
2016.”
— Linda Moholt,
CEO, Tualatin Chamber
of Commerce
Southwest’s Story
Transit in Southwest
From early town plats centered on train stations in Tualatin, Tigard, and
Lake Oswego to the Southern Pacific Red Electric interurban rail network,
transit service has helped define the southwest communities for many
years. Still today, transit is very much a vital part of life in this part of the
region with 24 bus lines (one of which is Frequent Service; three of which
are express/limited stop lines), the region’s only commuter rail line (WES),
one streetcar line (NS Line), an aerial tram, four transit centers and over
2,000 TriMet-dedicated and shared-use park and ride spaces.
Yet, in some ways, the transit service hasn’t changed much in Southwest.
The core of the transit service was originally designed decades ago to get
workers to and from the central business district with 14 of 24 bus lines
and the streetcar line serving Downtown Portland and five bus lines serving Marquam Hill – leaving only five bus lines and WES serving southwest
communities without going to Downtown Portland or Marquam Hill.
4
Additionally, 11 bus lines and WES only operate in the morning
and afternoon peak hours and don’t provide weekend service. As
the region has grown, the need for all-day transit service to areas
other than Downtown Portland or Marquam Hill has grown as
well.
Where the Jobs Are
The Southwest part of the region has a diversity of job centers
ranging from white collar jobs in the Kruse Way/Meadows Road
and Lincoln Center areas to middle wage jobs in the Tualatin
Industrial Area and the 72nd Avenue employment corridor.
Southwest residents are also drawn to jobs on Marquam Hill, in
Downtown Portland and the Silicon Forest. Furthermore, the area
has seen significant retail job growth in Bridgeport Village,
Downtown Tualatin, and Progress Ridge in addition to the long
established retail centers of Washington Square, Sherwood Town
Center, Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, and along Barbur Boulevard/Highway 99W. Finally, nearly all the communities in the
southwest part of the region are actively pursuing Downtown
development plans which will bring additional employment and
vitality in Downtown communities throughout the area.
Regional Changes Impact Southwest
Several trends will impact Southwest and the entire region over
the next 20 years, including:
Growth: According to Metro’s 2014 Urban Growth Report, the metro area will grow by 400,000 residents and 260,000 jobs by 2035.
• Residential growth will occur by way of infill development along
corridors and in centers, while available land for new singlefamily residential development will remain in the suburbs
(e.g., River Terrace, South Cooper Mountain, Basalt Creek).
• Among the fastest growing industries in the region are
professional services and manufacturing/distribution. Large
parcels for manufacturing and distribution are primarily
available on the edges of the region, especially in Southwest
(e.g., Tualatin Industrial Area, Basalt Creek), while professional
services are accommodated in centers and corridors (e.g., Lincoln
Center, Kruse Way, town centers).
5
TriMet’s Future:
Back on Stable
Financial Footing
In October, 2014, TriMet and
the Amalgamated Transit
Union Local 757 worked
together to approve a new
labor contract that places
the agency on a sustainable financial path moving
forward. The new contract
continues to provide a robust
compensation package for
TriMet’s employees while
also ensuring long-term,
fiscal health for the agency.
As a result, TriMet will be
able to focus future revenue
growth on expansion of
services and maintenance.
Additionally, the contract
allows for certainty in TriMet’s
future plans and begins a
new, more collaborative
chapter for TriMet and the
ATU.
Transit into the Future: Southwest Corridor
Transit will become increasingly important as this
growth increases traffic congestion.
The region can expect to see a significant increase in
traffic congestion as the population grows substantially over the next two decades. Traffic congestion
not only impacts people’s lives by adding time to their
travels and worsening air quality, but it also imposes
an economic cost as companies can’t deliver their
goods to customers and workers can’t get to their
jobs, stunting the region’s ability to grow economically. Increased congestion will be especially true along
the major corridors connecting Downtown Portland
to the surrounding suburban communities. Many of
these corridors have already received investments in
high capacity transit to help deal with congestion—
Highway 99E, Highway 84, Highway 26W, Interstate
5 North, Interstate 205. However, the Highway 99W/
Interstate 5 South corridor has yet to receive a high
capacity transit investment, and is feeling the strain
of the rapidly increasing number of vehicles on the
road, especially as the economy has recovered from
the recession. Consequently, the Southwest Corridor
Plan was envisioned as a means to comprehensively
address congestion in this part of the region.
Changing Income Levels: According to the 2014 Urban
Growth Report, much of the Southwest part of the
region experienced a drop in the median family
income between 2000 and 2008-12. This has resulted
in a greater mix of incomes in Southwest and a
greater demand for transit services.
Community of Color and Language Diversity:
Washington County has:
Metro is leading the Southwest Corridor Planning process with help from TriMet, Washington County, ODOT,
and the cities of Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood,
and Portland. The project aims to leverage major
infrastructure investments—predominantly a high
capacity transit line—to also make improvements to
roads, trails, sidewalks, crossings, and bikeways. With
help from project staff, the Project Steering
Committee will decide to pursue either a light rail or a
bus rapid transit option. Project staff and the
steering committee are also evaluating potential
routing options, though the project aims to connect
Downtown Tualatin, Bridgeport, Downtown Tigard,
the Tigard Triangle, PCC, Barbur Transit Center,
Marquam Hill, Portland State University, and the
Portland Transit Mall. Some destinations may not be
directly served with high capacity transit, but would
connect to the line via improved transit and
pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
• a higher percentage of Asian or Pacific Islander
residents (8.6%) compared to the state (3.7%),
• a higher percentage of Hispanic or Latino residents
(15.7%) compared to the state (11.7%),
• almost double the proportion of foreign-born
residents (16.8%) than statewide (9.7%), and
• a higher percentage of residents speaking a
language other than English at home (22.7%)
compared to the state (14.3%).1
Because communities of color and language
diversity populations often rely on TriMet, these
changes in growth and demographics illustrate a
growing demand for more and better transit service
in the southwest communities
In addition to helping reduce vehicle congestion, the
Southwest Corridor Plan will help make communities
along the alignment safer for transit riders,
pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. Moreover, the plan
will be the catalyst for downtown development efforts
in Tigard and Tualatin, bolstering their civic and
economic vibrancy.
Revisions to the Southwest Service Enhancement Plan
will be required after the Southwest Corridor Plan is
completed to ensure that the two efforts complement
one another and provide a complete transit network
for the southwest part of the region.
1Washington County Transportation System Plan 2014, A-Engrossed Ordinance 768, Exhibit 4
6
The Southwest Service
Enhancement Process
The process for developing recommendations for Southwest’s
transit future included significant outreach to residents and
businesses, data mapping, and conversations with cities and
counties about future growth.
Community Outreach: TriMet staff reached out to community
members in a myriad of ways including surveys, community
workshops, special events, individual stakeholder meetings,
newspaper articles, neighborhood meetings, and focus group
discussions. Participants included existing transit riders, neighborhood associations, employers, business associations and
chambers of commerce, jurisdictions, and social service providers.
Additional outreach events were held to reach out to traditionally
under-represented groups such as low-income, senior, youth, and
communities speaking languages other than English (especially
Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali).
“I appreciate that instead
of asking a smart and
brilliant engineer they
asked the public to help
solve the problem. They
took our ideas, which
are like uncut and unpolished pieces of gems
that are hidden inside of
a stone, and made them
into something of beauty
and value.”
Data Analysis and Mapping: TriMet staff mapped concentrations
of jobs and housing throughout the study area and were able to
connect where people live with where they work. TriMet verified
this information with data from the Oregon Household Activity
Survey (OHAS) provided by Metro. TriMet also mapped data based
on equity factors such as minority, low-income, and limited
English proficiency households in the study area. This data was
also used to ensure that outreach was provided to traditionally
underrepresented communities.
Future Growth: Individual jurisdictions best understand where
future growth will occur in the next 20 years. TriMet spoke with
elected leaders and city and county staff to better understand
where and how southwest communities will grow in the future.
City and county plans for growth were taken into account when
developing the SWSEP recommendations.
An initial Draft Vision for future transit service was developed
using the information gathered via the methods outlined above.
7
— Tyra Tanaka,
College Student
It was then released to the public with a survey asking for input on the
recommendations contained within the Draft Vision. The Draft Vision
was then revised and re-released to the public as the Refined Draft
Vision, again with a survey. Last tweaks were made based on input
received and a Final Vision was developed.
TriMet will begin implementing the service improvements called for in
this vision during its annual service plan process, with each year’s enhancements leading toward the long-term vision.
The vision was made flexible enough to take maximum advantage of
the future Southwest Corridor Project, regardless of its final mode and
alignment.
Final Vision
The SWSEP Final Vision addresses four key needs:
Service
Enhancements
on Lines 47
and 48 Show
Ridership Gains
In Fall 2013, TriMet
implemented routing and
frequency changes to
Lines 47-Baseline/
Evergreen and 48-Cornell
as called for in the Westside Service Enhancement
Plan (serving Beaverton,
Hillsboro, Forest Grove,
and Corneilus). Between
Fall 2012 and Fall 2015,
average weekday
ridership increased by
62% on Line 47 and 106%
on Line 48.
1. Transit Connections
The existing transit network is historically oriented towards trips to
Downtown Portland during the rush hours. Many job centers outside the
Downtown core are not connected with other suburban residential areas
where many employees live. In addition, some lines have indirect routes
and could benefit from streamlining and some lines that overlap could be
moved to serve areas that lack bus service.
Opportunities for Action
We’d like to realign bus routes to provide more connections between
suburban residential communities and suburban employment centers
and streamline routes and fill service gaps.
New Destination for SW Vermont Street Service (Line 1)
Eliminate the low-ridership, residential loop and serve Washington
Square via Shattuck, giving the line a regional destination that can
support midday, evening and weekend trips, improving service for riders
along the line.
Downtown Lake Oswego to King City (Line 36)
Extend the South Shore Boulevard line from the Tualatin Park & Ride
to King City via 72nd Avenue and Durham to improve east-west
connections between Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Tigard, and King City, and
add trips. Extend the line to Jean Way to better serve businesses in the
Lake Oswego Commerce Center.
Downtown Lake Oswego to Kruse Way, Tigard TC, and Progress Ridge/
Murrayhill (Line 37)
Change the Lake Grove bus line to serve Downtown Lake Oswego, Kruse
Way, Tigard Transit Center, Progress Ridge and Murray Hill to improve
east-west connections between Tigard and Lake Oswego. Add midday,
evening, and weekend trips. Replace service in Lake Grove with an
extension of Line 44.
New Service to Wilson High School, Bonita Road and McDonald Street
(Line 38)
Change the Boones Ferry Road line to serve Wilson High School and
Burlingame to help students get to school. Change route to serve Bonita,
McDonald and Tigard Transit Center to improve east-west connections
in Tigard. Provide all-day service in Mountain Park with an extension of
Line 44.
8
4
33RD
60TH
62ND
45TH
82ND
FULL
ER
BELL
82ND
STANLEY
34TH
76TH
50TH
52ND
D
82
N
MILWAUKIE
NGS
RUSK
APPE S
R ON
HI
GH
SO
N
Transit Center
16
T
H
JA
CK
S
SALAM
O
R
PET
ES
L
"
TA
NN
LE
Willamette Falls
H
"
7T 9T
H
5T H
H
O
DIVI SI
3#
LINN
OSTMAN
NEWLAND
LINWOOD
28TH
42ND
STANLEY
20TH
CESAR E CHAVEZ
GRAND
13TH
32ND
32ND
21ST
STA
65TH
HOLME S
WARNER PARROTT
Oregon City
NT
GRA
H
RA
NT
CE
Community/Jobs Connector
Service Area
MAX Blue Line
MAX Green Line
Rush-Hour Service
Park & Ride
S
High School or College
MAX Red Line
Secure Bike Parking
H
Hospital
MAX Yellow Line
Transit Center
L
WES Commuter Rail
9
Landmarks
Library
Miles
0
1
2
NORTH
S Clackamas
"
Community
College
K
ND
LA
Wilsonville HS
TH
EE
LE
ADVANCE
3#
3@
L
W
R
RC
VE
145TH
LO
A
BE
D
EN
PO
I
BO ONES FERRY
FER
N
G TO
LY
AMS
3@
LLA
BAKER
N
L
HO
RY
L
SO
CA
LA
MO
CCO
NN
VIS
TA
35TH
PILKINGTON
FFO
RD
N
GO
OR
E
ELWERT
RIVER
72ND
HALL
150TH
ER
ELSN
MAIN
TC
MAX Orange Line
Proposed new bus service
ON
S
"
9E
AW
BER
RY
3@
3#
7(Oregon City
Standard Service
Proposed High Capacity
Transit Service
7(
L
"
S
"
September 2015
ST
R
HOMESTEADER
Rail Service
Frequent Service
ROOTS
GS
IN
IN
ARL
SET
Y9
D
82N
NN
JE
3% "L
West Linn HS
L
WIL
HW
NF
LAW
CLACKAMAS
3# Gladstone
Gladstone HS
AMETTE FALLS
MOUN T AIN
d
%
LAKE
NS
JOH
A
R
IP
C
TC
3)
Meldrum
Bar
PA
RT
Wilsonville
2*
D
LIN
GH
Wilsonville
BOECKMAN
ER
H
UT
SO
Bus Service
LOU
B LANKENSH
AIN
UNT
MO
TOOZE
S
"
Putnam HS
ELLIGSEN
RIDDE R
PA
RK
SU
N
FE
S
"
3$
A
West Linn
Tualatin HS
DAY
M
HIDD E N
SC
HA
EF
La Salle HS
S
"
BORLAND
d
%
BROOKMAN
EL
R
Mary S Young
State Park
I
PR
ID
3!7!
T
TE
A
OA
D
SE Ful
7@
2(
THIESSEN
T
OE
MO
ET
AN
S
"
KING
1b@
HE
AM
SUNSET
7^
RI
VE
R
Marylhurst
University
H
"
L
"
S
"
Legacy Meridian Park
SAGERT
L
"
3%
SE
K
" 7(
OA
ILL
"
KRUGER
NYBERG
`
!
AVERY
RO
RA
ILR
RE
ST
D
3$
BERGIS
CHILDS
REE
3# 3@
COR
CON
N
SO
HN
JO
Sherwood A
9$
9#
Sherwood HS S
D
OO
Lakeridge HS
OVERLOOK
GROVE
EY
MCV
3^
A
7!
CLATSOP
NC
W
S H ER W
TUALATIN
S
"
o
1$
7@
DUKE
1(
HILL
OAK
1)
WOODSTOCK
NT
RO
EDY
L
"
Tualatin
A
Y R
OGERS
YCE
RO
weg
RC
MC
3^ JEAN
Tualatin
e
Lak
HORE
TH S
OU
GREENTREE
W
VIE
KE
LA
BO
TUALATIN
IFIC
PAC
RY
4$
N
Os
ER
SF
E
ON
A
IRO
HAROLD
R
ER
7^
Tigard HS
9#9$ A
N
DE
3$
Lake Oswego
Transit Center
MOUNTAIN
L
"
1&
STE
WEBST
A
RM
CA
AL
r
HARMO NY S
CCC - Harmony
COURTNEY
ATC
BONITA
FO
SE Park Ave
Lake Oswego
3%
L
"
7*3&
CLUB
NTR
Y
KRUSE WAY
Cook
Park
Y
HW
S
"
COU
CHOLLS SHERWOOD
Tualatin River
National Wildlife
Refuge
MELROSE
S
"
POWELL
FLAVEL
2*
1b@
2( LAKE
PCC - Southeast
7!
NSO
H
"
7@
Warner Pacific
College
L
FIE
3^ "S
King City
62ND
Park
KNAUS
Lake Oswego HS
R
HU
NZ
IKER
Mt Tabor
Park
L
"
3!
7%
MONROE
S Portland Waldorf
"
S Milwaukie Milwaukie
Milwaukie/Main St "
HS
State
B
KE R
A
4$
S
"
7%
Providence
Milwaukie
WASHINGTO
S
"
JOH
Lewis & Clark
College
Creek
RY
FER
ES
N
OO
LUGA
WA
DURHAM
BEEFBEND
UTH
S
"
2)
1%
LINCOLN
L
"
SE Tacoma St/
Johnson Creek
LINN
7) 3#
3%
S
"
Tryon
STEPHENSON
"
4#
S
"
1(
BURNSIDE
HOLGATE
1&
STEELE
1(
Multnomah University
NE 60th
7!
STARK
1$
o
REX
L
"
ELL
MA
DE
TIE
T MO
Tigard
L
"
GAARDE
9$ MCDONALD
9#
A
3&
BULL
MOUNTA IN
7*
PCC - S
Sylvania
TACOMA
UMATILLA
Lewis & Clark
Law School
S
"
SE Bybee Blvd
Wildlife
Refuge
HALSEY
Franklin HS
S
"
C OR N
S
"
Tigard Transit Center TC
3&
5^
ROY ROGERS
Christian HS
Barbur Transit Center
4$
1@
9$
Bottom
LIGER
WALNUT
45
H
GREE
N
Ú
A
TC
6%
3(
Riverdale HS
LOCUST
7*Westside
N
121ST
135TH
6&
TAYLORS FERRY
Oaks
IL
TERW
RY
FER
LS
OL
7^
1@
R
9$ 4#
U
RB
BA
L
"
DA R
H
SC
TILE FLAT
LL
BUR G
125TH
MURRAY
175TH
5^6@
TEAL
3& "L
4#
HA
TC
S
"
S
LOR
TAY RY
FER
S
170TH
ON
OL
Washington Square
Transit Center
Southridge HS
WEIR
T
Hall/
Nimbus
80TH
Y
EEN
GR
BROCKMAN
LL
CAPITOL
CE D
AR
WA
6&
ES
HA
r
7%
NE 82nd
7&
STARK
L
"
1)Reed College
17TH
6@
4% 4$
GARDEN HOM
E
SE 17th Ave &
Holgate Blvd
M
RIGERT
45TH
MULTNOMAH
L
4% "
DIVISION
HLIN
MCLOUG
q
Gabriel
Park
1$
POW
o ELL "S
1( 1& SE 17th Ave
& Rhine St
3#
7)
MAC ADA
DENNEY
HART
VERMONT
5^
7*
CAMERON
HAWTHORNE
H
"
Providence
Portland
Cleveland HS
HA
4%
7^
LLS
HO
SC RRY
FE
1% BELMONT
Clinton/SE 12th Ave
T
BER
Beaverton
BANY
5$
S
"
Jesuit HS
9 2ND
209TH
8*
ALLEN
8*
DAVIS
5$ 3(
9$
4%
6%
3%
3(
5$ "L
S
"
q
Wilson HS
HAMILTON
TC
" Catholic HS
MORRISON
y 7)
1)
""
i""
49TH
OAK
L
"
Beaverton Transit Center
L
"
Beaverton HS
MURRAY
185TH
N
5*
7)
7@
Hollywood/NE 42nd
Transit Center
7%
Benson HS
GLISAN
S
"
1( BURNSIDE 1@
2)
S Central
7&
Shriners
H
OHSU H
Council Doernbecher
H
Crest
H
VA Med Center
PATTON
BEAVERTON-HILLSDALE HWY
S
"
TO
ING
RM
FA
5*
CA
TC
TC
Washington Park
5^
NYON
2)
6#
2)
LS
HIL
S
"
5@
BAR
Catlin
BRYANT
S
"
198TH
Beaverton Central
Gabel
Sunset
S
Transit Center "
H Providence St Vincent
"
TC
UC
K
5&
Valley Catholic HS
TAYLOR
2)
5(
D
Millikan Way
Aloha HS
6@
NES
SHA
TT
Beaverton Creek
Tualatin Hills
Nature Park
5@
ES
PARK
6@
INS
RN
WEIDLER
H
"
2)
FOSBERG
JEN
K
Merlo Rd/
SW 158th Ave
LEAHY
68TH
R
6&
Elmonica/SW 170th Ave
BA
WESTERN
WA
LKE
E
8*
g
I
ARCTIC
D
HMT
Recreation
Complex
MU
RRA
Y
5(
23RD
L
"
S 4*
"
5@
8*
Legacy Good Samaritan
S
"
DY
SAN
L
BROADWAY
Madison HS
82ND
2$
1@
92ND
Grant HS
S
L
THURMAN
WES TVIE W
Sunset HS
ow Creek/SW 185th Ave TC B
ASE
nsit Center
LIN
5&
119TH
143RD
N
ELL
158TH
Quatama/
NW 205th Ave
185TH
5(
COR
N
1@
L
"
FREMONT
SWAN
1%VAUGHN
2$
HOLLY
H
"
PRESCOTT
72ND
Legacy
Emanuel
Albina/
Mississippi
7!
57TH
NT
7%
1%
i 1&
4*
7) " "
y
"1%
Southwest
Service Enhancement Plan
Vision
forr1&Future
7& Service
D
31st Ave OHSU West Campus
S
"
209TH
NICOLAI
Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center
N
SO
1^ FRO
GUAM
L
2$ "
24TH
ON
Overlook Park
1& 7)
PRESCOTT
15TH
BR
1%
P S ON
MISSISSIPPI
6&
4&
OM
4$
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
H
"
TH
29TH
Kasier
Westside
AMBE
RWO
O
EEN
ST UC K
I
AL OCL
EK
GR
3%
8%
35TH
ER
ON
EY
EL
EV
Jefferson HS
N Prescott
GOING
YE
E
GR
4&
L
"
BETHANY
Westview HS
S
"
SALTZMAN
g
I
S
"
Southwest Hills to Hillsdale, Lewis & Clark/Collinsview (Line 39)
Merge existing Lines 39 and 51 to serve Terwilliger, Capitol, Sunset, and
Dosch, connecting Lewis & Clark College/Collinsview, Hillsdale, Southwest
Hills and Downtown Portland. Add midday, evening, and weekend trips.
Downtown Tualatin, Lake Grove, PCC Sylvania, and Downtown Portland
(Line 44)
Extend existing PCC Sylvania service to provide all day service from
Downtown Portland to Mountain Park, Lake Grove, Bridgeport Village,
Durham, and Downtown Tualatin.
Garden Home, to Denny Road, and Downtown Beaverton (Line 45)
Change the Garden Home Line to provide new service to Denny Road and
Downtown Beaverton. Add trips.
Council Crest to Downtown Portland (Line 51)
Due to low ridership, create a single line serving Council Crest and run
during the weekday commute hours only.
New Service on Shattuck Road (Line 55)
“OHSU is building a
world class campus for
healing, teaching and
discovery, dedicated to
improving the health
of Oregonians. Transit
is a key part of making this campus work
in South Waterfront’s
urban environment.”
Due to low ridership, change the Hamilton bus line to connect the
Southwest Hills to Downtown Portland via Hamilton, Shattuck, Patton
and Vista.
South Cooper Mountain to Progress Ridge, Washington Square, and
Washington Park MAX Station (Line 56)
Extend the Scholls Ferry Road line to provide new service to Murrayhill,
Progress Ridge, and the future South Cooper Mountain community.
Provide new service on Scholls Ferry Road and the Washington Park MAX
Station.
— Brian Newman,
Associate Vice President,
Campus Planning
Hillsdale to Marquam Hill (Line 65)
Connect Marquam Hill, Hillsdale and Lewis & Clark College/Collinsview
via Terwilliger, and Palatine Hill. Provide all day and weekend service
between Marquam Hill and Hillsdale.
South Beaverton to Tigard Transit Center (Line 67)
Extend Line 67 from the Merlo Road/SW 158th Avenue MAX Station to
provide new north-south service to South Beaverton via 170th Avenue,
10
New Service on Pacific Highway and SW 124th Avenue
Brockman, and 121st Avenue. Connect to Tigard via
Gaarde and Pacific Highway.
Create a new line connecting homes and jobs in the
future Basalt Creek community with the Tigard Transit
Center via SW 124th Avenue and Pacific Highway.
New Service to Metzger and Allen Boulevard (Line 78)
Provide new north-south service on Hall Boulevard
north of Highway 99W and connect with jobs in
the Raleigh West employment area north of Allen
Boulevard.
2. Frequency
Frequency is a prime concern for transit users. Frequency equals convenience, and more frequent service puts
fewer restrictions on riders’ travel. Because waiting is a
part of transit travel time, frequency can be as, or even
more important, than speed of travel on the bus. Some
bus lines in the Southwest communities operate with
such insufficient frequency, making them unattractive
to a broad range of riders. Potential customers are
deterred from riding transit if they fear missing their
bus and having to wait a long time for the next one to
arrive. Frequent Service Lines eliminate this concern
because they arrive every 15 minutes or better most of
the day, every day. This means the average wait if a rider
doesn’t check the schedule is seven to eight minutes.
South Beaverton Express via I-5 (Line 92)
Connect Murrayhill, Progress Ridge, Washington
Square and Downtown Portland via Scholls Ferry,
Multnomah, and Interstate 5, providing new coverage.
New Service on Salamo Road
Create a new line during weekday commuter hours
only connecting residents to West Linn’s Willamette
commercial area, City Hall, and the Lake Oswego Transit Center.
New Service to Sellwood
The development of the Southwest Corridor Project
would allow for a new bus connection between
Southwest Portland and Sellwood. One possiblity for
this connection could be an extension of the Taylors
Ferry Road line (Line 43) across the Sellwood Bridge
connecting Washington Square, Barbur Transit Center,
Sellwood, and the SE Tacoma Street/Johnson Creek
MAX Station (see map on page 9). However, other
scenarios may exist for connecting Southwest Portland with Sellwood. In the coming years, TriMet will
work with the Southwest Portland communities to
determine which bus line should connect with
Sellwood once the Southwest Corridor Project is built.
Opportunities for Action
Expand the Frequent Service bus network and work
with cities and counties to deploy transit priority
treatments, like signal timing and bus lanes.
New Frequent Service Bus Lines
Maintain and expand the Frequent Service Line network, upgrading the highest ridership bus lines to 15
minute frequency most of the day. Better frequency on
the following lines would significantly improve service
to Portland, Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, Durham, Lake
Oswego, and West Linn.
Barbur Boulevard (Line 12)
TriMet’s commitment to improved transit service
in the Southwest part of the region includes the
restoration of Frequent Service on Barbur Boulevard/
Highway 99W, which was completely restored to
pre-recession service levels in Fall 2015.
New Service on Tualatin-Sherwood Road and
SW 72nd Avenue
Create a new line connecting to jobs in the Sherwood
Town Center, Tualatin Industrial Area, Downtown
Tualatin/WES Station, Bridgeport Village, 72nd Avenue,
the Tigard Triangle, Downtown Tigard, and the Tigard
Transit Center.
11
Highway 43/Macadam Avenue (Line 35)
New Frequent Service between Downtown Portland, Lake Oswego, West
Linn and Oregon City to better meet demand in this corridor as future
development occurs.
Capitol Highway (Line 44)
Improve the connection for students with new Frequent Service
between Downtown Portland and PCC Sylvania via Hillsdale and
Multnomah Village.
Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway (Line 54)
New Frequent Service between Downtown Portland, Hillsdale, Raleigh
Hills and Beaverton Transit Center to increase transit use in this high
volume corridor.
Phasing and
partnership
opportunities
Implementation of the
Southwest Service
Enhancement Plan
recommendations will
occur incrementally as
TriMet’s revenues
increase. Among the
implementation criteria,
favor will be given to
service improvements
in conjunction with
pedestrian and transit
priority improvements
in the same area. If
jurisdictions invest in
transit priority treatments,
sidewalks, crossings, and
paths to get riders to
transit, TriMet will work
with them to potentially
prioritize service
enhancements in those
areas.
Hall Boulevard/Greenberg Road (Line 76)
New Frequent Service to serve the job centers along the line, including
Downtown Beaverton, Washington Square, Downtown Tigard, Bridgeport
Village, Downtown Tualatin and Legacy Meridian Park Hospital.
Increase Frequency of Local Service
All local bus service in Southwest communities should operate every
15-30 minutes or better during the morning and afternoon commute
times whenever possible to keep it attractive to a broad range of users
and reduce delay for all riders. Midday service frequency will be
determined by demand.
Implement Transit Priority Treatments
Many riders wish for buses to get them to their destinations faster.
Delayed travel time also has a negative impact on reliability. Through-out
Portland and in key locations in Gresham, signal technology extends green
signals when a bus is running late. On 82nd Avenue in Clackamas, ODOT
provides bus-only lane treatments to reduce delay to bus passen-gers.
TriMet will be looking to apply similar treatments to the Southwest part of
the region to decrease delay and increase reliability.
3. Passing Through Federal Funds for
Transit Services
Often times fixed route transit by TriMet is not economically viable in
areas with low-income residents or entry-level jobs, because the number
of residents or employees is too few or the street network is underdeveloped. However, even when TriMet cannot operate transit services,
it has a long history of helping economic development opportunities
by passing on federal funds to other organizations to operate their own
shuttle services to meet the needs of residents and employees.
Opportunities for Action
In November 2015, Ride Connection, a non-profit transportation
provider serving seniors, people with disabilities, and low income populations, began operating the North Hillsboro LINK shuttle between Orenco
Station and the North Hillsboro Industrial Area. This service is a response
to the significant increase in the number of low-pay, entry level employees
in the area that have difficulty getting to work because of the lack of nearby TriMet service. TriMet fixed route bus service was not an economically
viable option because the area is still developing. Ride Connection,
in partnership with the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, the City of
12
home and the nearest bus stop.
Hillsboro, Washington County, and the State of Oregon, was able to launch the North Hillsboro LINK
shuttle because TriMet is able to pass on state and
federal grant funds specifically intended for this type
of service. Similar pass through arrangements exist
for shuttle services in Tualatin, Swan Island, and Forest
Grove.
Much of the difficulty siting pedestrian and bike improvements is the result of hilly terrain and the need
to provide storm water runoff facilities with improvements. Such conditions significantly drive the cost of
improvements. This is especially true in Southwest
Portland, where the topography can be particularly
steep. However, Southwest Portland’s trail network
can help ameliorate the challenge of providing access
to transit in some areas.
Other areas in Southwest where TriMet could pass
through federal funding to serve low income residents
or low paying, entry-level jobs and where fixed route
transit service is lacking due to the street network or
population size include:
Opportunities for Action
TriMet will continue to partner with local cities,
counties and ODOT to improve pedestrian
environments. However cities, county and ODOT must
also make pedestrian improvements a high priority.
Pedestrian Network Analysis
TriMet’s Pedestrian Network Analysis report
(available at www.trimet.org/walk) identifies
locations near transit stops where pedestrian
improvements are needed (e.g., sidewalk infill, curb
ramps, landing pads, and safer crossings using
signals or “flashing beacons”, etc.). The report
specifically points to needed pedestrian improvements in the Hillsdale area, Tigard Transit Center, and
Raleigh Hills. Cities, counties, and ODOT can provide
access to transit and improve the local quality of life
and safety by using the Pedestrian Network Analysis
as a blueprint for where and what to include when
building safe crossing treatments and sidewalks.
Tualatin-Oregon City
Connect retail jobs at Bridgeport Village and downtown Tualatin with low income residents in Tualatin
and downtown Oregon City via Borland and I-205.
King City-Tigard-Beaverton
Connect senior and low income residents in King City
with jobs and services in Progress Ridge, Murrayhill,
and the future River Terrace and South Cooper
Mountain areas.
Sherwood
Connect low income areas on the east side of
Sherwood with jobs and services in downtown Sherwood, the Sherwood Town Center, and the YMCA.
4. Pedestrian/Bike Environments
Partnering for pedestrians
Every transit rider walks, uses a mobility device, or
rides a bicycle at least a short distance to and from
the bus, MAX, or WES. Safe sidewalks, crossings, paths,
and bicycle infrastructure are critical to building
and sustaining transit ridership. Pedestrian and bike
improvements are especially needed in the Southwest
part of the region. More than half of all respondents
to our survey reported that there is missing sidewalk between their homes and the nearest bus stop.
Additionally, only 35% of respondents reported having
either signalized or other safe crossings between their
TriMet, ODOT, the counties and the Southwest
jurisdictions have a strong history of partnerships on
pedestrian improvements. The most recent example is
seen in the 2015-18 State Transportation
Improvement Enhancement Program (STIP Enhance).
Administered by ODOT, the STIP Enhance grant
program will fund pedestrian improvement projects
along Highway 99W, including sidewalk
improvements, rapid flashing beacons, and bus stop
upgrades. The project came together with TriMet as
13
the applicant and matching fund support from TriMet
and the cities of Tigard, Tualatin, and Portland, with
technical support from ODOT. TriMet will continue
to look for opportunities to partner on pedestrian
improvement and access to transit projects. However,
cities, counties and ODOT must also prioritize safe and
comfortable access to transit for this goal to become
a reality.
Safe crossings vs. road widening
Roadway widening to accommodate increased traffic
conflicts with transit access by making it more
difficult to cross the street safely to reach a bus stop.
The counties and individual Southwest jurisdictions
must continue, in partnership with TriMet, to seek a
balance between all means of transportation in order
to address current and future challenges.
Increasing the Reach of Transit with Cycling
Connections
Making walking easier by making crossings shorter
Because intersection crossings are so important for
access to transit and for residents and employees
to walk anywhere in Southwest, TriMet encourages
cities, counties, and ODOT to re-evaluate standards
and existing dimensions of curb radius at intersections. Large curb radii increase crossing distances and
invite faster turning speeds for motor vehicles, leaving
pedestrians exposed to dangerous interactions with
fast-moving vehicles. Consider treatments such as
truck aprons to reduce turning radius and crossing
distance. Reducing crossing distance can also reduce
the amount of time intersections need for each
individual signal cycle or traffic movement, potentially
reducing delay or at least the perception of delay, to
pedestrians and drivers. Cost-effective pilot projects
can be implemented using striping or plastic “candlestick” pylons. The Federal Highway Administrations
Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System website provides a good starting point
for cities and counties considering pedestrian safety
improvements (www.pedbikesafe.org/PEDSAFE).
More and better bike paths and bike lanes can help
to expand the reach of transit, as customers who are
combining their transit trip with a cycling trip can
more quickly cover a larger distance than by walking
or rolling alone. The rolling hills and challenging
topography in this area might be a natural deterrent
to some, but others do choose to use a bicycle as a
means to connect to transit service, especially along
facilities like the Fanno Creek Trail, the Tualatin River
Greenway and the Willamette River Greenway Trail.
TriMet will continue to support safe and comfortable
bicycling facilities to reach transit services, provide
bike parking at appropriate locations, and work with
our partners to promote cycling as a means to
increase the reach of transit connecting to
employment, commercial and residential areas.
Bus stop landing pads
Concrete pads between sidewalks and curbs allow
people with mobility devices to board and de-board
buses from the sidewalk and encourage transit use
from those who can walk or bike to the bus stop.
Without the landing pads, riders must either walk
through wet, muddy, and potentially unstable
surfaces or worse, step into the street itself to get on
the bus. The concrete pads provide opportunities to
install shelters at stops with high ridership, making
riding transit more attractive and competitive with
other options.
14
In Our Rear View Mirror
Frequent Service Restoration
During the Great Recession, TriMet was forced to
increase the time between trips on the 13 Frequent
Service Bus Lines and MAX. With the improving
economy, TriMet has restored service back to prerecession level. TriMet’s Frequent Service Lines carry
more than half of all bus passengers on the system,
and MAX carries more than one-third of all TriMet
customers. Frequent Service and MAX restoration
has been vital in helping people access jobs, reducing
congestion, and meeting the region’s adopted land
use and air quality goals. With the restoration of all
Frequent Service and MAX lines, TriMet now provides
more service than it did prior to the recession. Current
Frequent Service Bus Lines in Southwest include:
Conclusion
As congestion increases with population and job
growth, and as more people rely on transit out of need
or choice, TriMet intends to enhance the transit
network to meet these increasing demands of the
growing southwest communities. TriMet will
continue to serve the high demand for transit service
to Downtown Portland, but also aims to provide
service to neighborhoods, job sites, and other
destination between the southwest communities.
TriMet is committed to supporting the southwest part
of the region by increasing the effectiveness and
importance of transit via new or realigned lines,
better frequencies and service hours, and new
partnerships for innovative service and pedestrian
improvements. The Future of Transit will include
many more opportunities for Southwest residents to
travel throughout the region to jobs, school, shopping,
medical care and recreational activities while freeing
space on roads for freight and other needs.
Line 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th Avenue
Line 12-Barbur/Sandy Boulevard
Line 54-Beaverton Hillsdale Highway
Line 56-Scholls Ferry Road
15
Available in other formats.
1150300 • 1/16 • 500